


The Sheriff

by ris



Series: A Dream? [1]
Category: The Walking Dead - All Media Types
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-14
Updated: 2016-03-03
Packaged: 2018-03-12 07:50:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3349358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ris/pseuds/ris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rick wakes up in the hospital but the Zombie Apocalypse was nothing but a dream, Rick tries to readjust to a life that is completely different than what he had thought it to be. He confronts Lori about the affair between her and Shane, all the while Rick missing an important part of the life he had dreamed about. Meanwhile Daryl is living his life as he would have before the world went to hell, every time he closes his eyes though there is a world that he doesn't know. A world where he is needed and loved, a dream though. Or was it a dream? AU, lots of OOC, the POV will change according to the scenario of the story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own the Walking Dead, I merely use the characters for my own nefarious purposes.  
>  _Rick's thoughts._  
>  __  
>  **Daryl's thoughts.**  
>  **Flashback to the TWD Universe**

 

-0-0-0- Rick's POV -0-0-0-

 

I bolt up into a sitting position, trying to gather my bearings, I notice the beeping coming from next to me before I notice anything else, immediately I look around trying to find and silence the source of the noise before the sound drew anything. It took a moment longer to realize that the beeping was going as fast as my heartbeat and I looked around finally seeing that it as a heart monitor. The door banged open and I reached for a gun that wasn't beside me, the nurse that had come in stopped and looked at me before she had turned back into the hallway.

"Doctor!" She shouted, then turned towards me. "Mr. Grimes? Do you know where you are?" I stopped and thought about that for a moment, remembering where I had woken up after the shoot out all those years ago.

"The hospital?" I croaked, noticing how dry my throat was.

"That's right, let me get you some water." She said before hurrying out of the room. Looking out the window, from where I'm sitting I can't see the disaster that had become this town, was it all a dream? The nurse came back in with one of those little plastic cups and a pitcher, she handed me the cup and I drained it in one gulp, feeling as though I hadn't drank anything in years. The doctor came in when I had drank another half cup of water, he checked the monitors that all the wires that were attached to me led. He nodded in approval before turning to me and pulling a pen light out of his pocket, shining it into my eyes.

"Mr. Grimes do you remember what happened?" He asked, I had to stop and think about that because what I remember happening was Daryl and I being eaten by walkers.

"There was a shootout..." I say a little uncertainly, trying to think past the dream. _Did any of that really happen? Is Carl alive? What about Daryl?_ I paused, did any of it actually happen? _It couldn't have because I'm still alive._ "I was shot? Where is my family?" I asked to be sure that they are alive.

"We've called your wife Mr. Grimes she's on her way, said she would be here after she picked up your son." The Nurse supplied when the doctor looked at her. Lori was alive? Carl was alive! Shane walked in the door with a look of both disbelief and relief on his face. I knew what that look was for, because even before the shit hit the fan in that dream they were together.

"You are a sight for sore eyes brother." Shane sighed as he slumped into the chair sitting just inside the door. "You had the whole squad worried y'know that?" He laughed and shook his head, then the door opened again to reveal Lori and Carl, I felt the tears in my eyes looking at my son. I held up my arm for Carl to come to me, the boy hesitated for just a minute before he crawled up on the bed and curled into my side, the last time I had held Carl he was dying. I shook my head and hugged my boy tighter to me, before looking up at Lori and reaching out a hand that she took.

"Well Mr. Grimes I don't see why you shouldn't be out of here by tomorrow, your vitals are all green." The doctor smiled and nodded, before turning to the nurse. "If you will unhook the patient from the monitor. Mr. Grimes if you are feeling up to it you can accompany your family and partner down to the cafeteria." The doctor nodded and left.

"Okay Mr. Grimes lets get these needles and wire off you." The nurse smiled as she went about pulling the little sticky pads from my chest and the IV needle out of my hand. "Now give me just a moment and I'll go get a cane, work on you walking for a bit, you have after all been in here for a month."

 

0-0-0-0- Daryl's POV 0-0-0-0-

 

I laid in bed staring up at the ceiling of our cabin, being up in the mountain is exhilarating. A rush of wind blew in from the open window and I smiled, Merle had gone to town for supplies, I got up and shut the window hooking the latch before I grabbed my gun from where it leaned against the side table. Might as well go hunt, that's why I came up here after all. I left the cabin and ventured north away from the direction of the town, my mind wasn't on the tracking however, the dream I had woken up from this morning had been of a black woman coming up to me and saying that there were ten walkers. _**Was it walkers?**_ I had to stop and look around, I picked up signs of a deer heading along a trail, I started tracking putting the dream out of my head.

"Not like that damn dream had meant anything, just a damn dream." I mutter, then quiet down as I hear rustling in the fallen leaves ahead of. "You're all mine." I breathed the words, taking aim and firing, I missed when the buck moved. The sound of the shot startling the buck into taking off, I cussed and took off after it, not paying attention to my footing I slipped on a rock when I hit the ground everything went dark.

****"Merle! Get your ugly ass out here!" I yelled putting my bow down on the ground near the campfire. "Got us some squirrel! Let's stew'em up!"** **

****"Daryl, just slow up a bit? I need to talk to ya." I hear Shane call after me.** **

****"'Bout what?"** **

****"'Bout Merle. There was a- there was a problem in Atlanta."** **

****"He dead?" Fearing for a moment.** **

****"We're not sure."** **

****"He either is or he ain't!" I growl out at the officer.** **

****"Look there's no easy way to say this so I'll just say it." A new guy stepped up.** **

****"Who are you?" I ask.** **

****"Rick Grimes."** **

****"Rick Grimes, you got something you wanna tell me?" I growled out at the man.** **

_**What the hell was that?**_ I stand up a little dizzy, likely a concussion. I turn my eyes to the ground to continue to track anything, a deer or a rabbit, something to get my mind off the weird dreams that I've been having lately. Because it wasn't just last night, or when i was knocked out just now, it's been for the last two months that I've been having the dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Rick's thoughts._   
>  **  
> _Daryl's thoughts._  
>  **   
>  **Flashback to the TWD Universe**

-0-0-0-0 Rick POV -0-0-0-0  
  
The nurse had returned with a cane and handed it to me, helping me to stand up and walk, at first my legs didn't want to support me but with Shane's help feeling returned and I could walk. We head towards the cafeteria, passing by a set of double doors that in my dream had read 'Don't open, Dead inside.' They weren't chained and boarded, I had to wonder yet again if that life was all a dream, looking at Carl who walked next to me. The last thing I remembered about Carl was the life leaving his eyes, I turned my attention to Lori than Shane, my family was back from the dead and they weren't walkers. I had to stop and think about what I had given up to have my family back though.  
  
"Rick? You okay?" Lori asked looking at me, I had stopped in the middle of the hallway.  
  
"Yea, I'm fine, just thinking too much." I smile at her, continuing to walk towards the cafeteria. _What happened to Daryl?_ I had to think about that because in the dream, three years had passed, Daryl and I had become a strong team. I glance between Lori and Shane as I continue walking, had their relationship begun even before that all happened, I had hoped it hadn't but all the signs were there. I'd seen it a hundred times over with people I arrested for spousal abuse, most times the husband had said he could see that she was cheating on him, I could see those signs in Shane and Lori. Getting to the cafeteria we get what we all want and Shane offers to buy everything. Carl picks a table by the windows and we all sit to eat.  
  
"So how's everything going down at the station?" I ask looking at Shane across from the table.  
  
"No Rick, you're just getting better wait until you're out of this hospital to ask about work." Lori nearly shouts at me, Carl flinches and I remember the day I got shot that her and I had fought. I left for work with her saying it's like I don't even care about them at all.  
  
"Lori please it's not like I'm gonna race out of here to go straight to work, I'll be at the desk for the next few months." I had to stop myself before I said anything more. That life was still at the front of my mind, remembering that her and I drifted apart more and more after the Greene farm. _Herschel, Beth, and Maggie, how are they doing?_ I shook those thoughts from my head, maybe I'd drive out to the farm lands after I get out of here. If I knew anything about where Daryl had been before the outbreak, I'd go see him, but no one had known where he was when it went to hell.  
  
"Rick, Lori's right, I'll let you know what's going on when you get outta here." Shane smiled, I couldn't stop my frown, he had smiled at me like that at the Greene farm. When he returned from getting the supplies to save Carl, when he had killed Otis.  
  
"Alright, I understand." I shook my head, finished off my meal, before I got up and began the trek back to my room. Carl entered after I had gotten settled, he hugged me and went back out into the hall, Lori passing him in the doorway. "Do you still love me?" I asked after the door had hissed shut, she looked surprised.  
  
"What are you saying?" She asked, her arms crossing over her stomach, raising her right shoulder in a defensive gesture.  
  
"Just answer the question: do you still love me?" I couldn't let myself get distracted, I need to know this now.  
  
"I don't know anymore." I was relieved to hear an honest answer and at the same time it hurt. "I don't know Rick! Is that what you wanted to hear?!" She hissed out trying to keep her voice down.  
  
"I want honesty, I don't know that we can stay married if we don't love each other anymore. I still love you," I said as the hurt look cross her face. "But the love I feel for you is the love a man could feel for the mother of his child." She nodded, I hoped that I got through to her.  
  
"Well, if we are going to do this, we need to talk about Carl." I nodded again at her suggestion.  
  
"I would love to take him, but I don't want you to hate me." I started saying and paused as she pursed her lips.  
  
"I don't think I could ever hate you." I thought about that, before Judith had been born there had been moments where I had wondered.  
  
0-0-0-0- Daryl's POV 0-0-0-0-  
  
Any tracks that I saw were weeks old, nothing to track there, maybe the deer moved farther up the mountain. I sat in a lookout platform, keeping my body heat up, wrapping my jacket tighter around myself. I hadn't wanted to go to sleep, anything to keep from having those dreams again.  
  
 **Climbing the steep hill was tricky, but without the arrow in my side it was easier, the cry of buzzards drew my eyes upwards.**  
  
 **"Please, don't feed the birds." I look towards the top of the hill and there's the illusion of Merle, smirking down at me, I hear him chuckle. "What'sa matter, Darylina? That all you got in ya? Throw away that purse and climb."**  
  
 **"I liked it better when you was missin'." I ground out moving up a few more feet, another laugh.**  
  
 **"C'mon don't be like that, I'm on your side."**  
  
 **"Yeah? Since when?" I growl out.**  
  
 **"Hell, since the day you were born, baby brother. Someone had to look out for yer worthless ass."**  
  
 **"You never took care of me, talk a big game but you was never there. Hell you ain't here now, guess something's never change."**  
  
 **"Well I'll tell you what-- I'm as real as your Chupacabra."**  
  
 **"I know what I saw."**  
  
 **"And I'm sure them 'shrooms you ate had nothing to do with it, right?"**  
  
 **"You best shut the hell up!"**  
  
 **"Or what? You gonna come up here and shut my mouth for me? Well c'mon and do it then, you think you're man enough. Hey, kick off them damn high heels and climb, son." The laugh that comes from the illusion makes me climb faster. "Y'know what if I were you I'd take a pause for the cause, brother. 'Cause I just don't think you're gonna make it to the top." I swing around a sapling, nearly to the top. "C'mon, c'mon little brother. Grab your friend Rick's hand." I reach the top pulling myself up and resting.**  
  
"Hey! Whatchu doin' sleepin' boy!" I jerked awake at hearing Merle yell, looking over the railing of the lookout I glared. "Don' be lookin' like that, we come up here to hunt not sleep." Thankfully he was clean and sober right now. _**'Nother damn dream.**_ How was I so sure that Merle was just an illusion?  
  
"Shut up." I say over the railing hunkering down into my blanket again.  
  
"Or what?" I'm thrown back into that dream for a moment, shaking my head I growl and move towards the ladder down.  
  
"Ain't nothing worth huntin' I been up and down these trails for most of the mornin'." I say hitting the bottom.  
  
"Guess it'sa good thing I got food from town." He laughs hooking around my shoulders and we head back towards the cabin.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, second chapter, I hope y'all are enjoying it so far. One more thing, you've likely noticed in the flash backs to TWD universe I use mostly the dialogue, I can't really describe actions, it's a weak point so I apologize for it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own The Walking Dead, I just borrow the characters for my own nefarious purposes.
> 
>  
> 
> _Rick's thoughts._  
>  _  
> **Daryl's thoughts.**  
>  _  
> **Flashback to the TWD Universe**

-0-0-0-0 Rick POV -0-0-0-0  
  
_Divorce papers, never thought they would give me this much of a headache_. I stare down at the packet that was sitting on the desk in front of me. _Of course never thought I would be getting a divorce or sitting at the station behind a desk._  
  
"What's wrong?" Shane asks throwing himself into the chair next to my desk.  
  
"These divorce papers giving me a headache. Look Shane, I know about you and Lori, she told me." Rick closed the packet and looked at the other officer.  
  
"In my defence we weren't sure you were going to wake up." Shane hung his head, I had to shake my head.  
  
"I understand, I don't have a doubt in my mind that it would have happened eventually." I sigh seeing him shake his head.  
  
"I wouldn't do that to you, you've been a friend since the academy, I wouldn't."  
  
"Like I said Shane, I understand." I turn back to all the forms in front of me. Not only the divorce papers, there was a leave of absence form as well as a transfer form. "Lori will keep Carl, I'll get him on the weekends." The radio on Shane's shoulder sqawked to life, orders coming out over it, half the station took off out to the cars. I went back to the forms on my desk, still on doctor's orders to be on a desk job.  
  
The end of my shift came a lot sooner than I would have thought, I signed my leave and transfer forms and left them in the Sheriff's box, expecting to hear about them tomorrow. If the leave is granted I'm going to head out to the Greene farm, try and get on Hershel's good side, stay out in the town. _Was it just a dream that I saw or was I dreaming about something yet to come?_ _I hope that isn't the case_. The drive back to the house was calming, I wouldn't have thought so but it was.  
  
"I'm back," I say to no one in particular.  
  
"Dad?" I turn towards the living room where I hear the TV going. "Are you and mom really getting a divorce?"  
  
"Now who told you that? We weren't gonna tell you until we had something worked out."  
  
"Mom said that I'd live with her," He turned his eyes down towards the floor.  
  
"Yea, it's going to be a little chaotic with me moving out, you're mom is keeping the house and it'll be easier for you to stay with her. Least 'til I can get settled somewhere."  
  
"You aren't leaving town are you?"  
  
"I was thinking about going to Atlanta." I admit honestly. "This ain't easy for anyone, least of all us, but it's better that your parents are happily separated rather than unhappy together. Now you got your homework all done?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then you better get to it." I ruffle his hair and give him a push back to where I see his books laying on the coffee table, then turn towards the kitchen. "I thought we weren't going to tell him yet."  
  
"I'm sorry, he heard me muttering to myself and didn't we always say we'd be honest to him?" I nod, before moving further into the kitchen.  
  
"You need any help?" Lori shakes her head no before sighing, I turn and leave the kitchen heading upstairs to the guest room where we'd moved my things after I got back from the hospital.  
  
0-0-0-0- Daryl's POV 0-0-0-0-  
  
Gotta head back down the mountain, hunting season's done and not a damn thing to show for it. No deer, rabbit, not even any squirrel.  
  
"Don't look so down in the dumps Darylina, not like you was gonna catch anythin' anyways." Merle punched my arm before laughing in the driver's seat.  
  
"Shut up." I mutter, arms crossed, my vest a comforting pressure on my shoulders. I hate going back into town, Merle's gonna get high and drunk again, then get violent. I can handle him, just don't like to.  
  
"C'mon baby brother don't be like that. We're gonna be on the road another three days, start talkin', not like you got anythin' better do. Tell me 'bout them dreams you been havin'."  
  
"What dreams?” **_How the hell does he know about them?_**  
  
“You talk in your sleep brother, first heard you say somethin’ like ‘toughest asshole I ever met, my brother.’ What was that about?”  
  
“Just dreams.” I mutter looking out the window and ignoring anymore questions Merle sent my way.  
  
**“You go looking for aspirin, do what you need to do. Someone needs to have some balls and take care of this damn problem!” I hear the cocking of a gun and turn to face it.**  
  
**“We don’t kill the living.” The officer stared me down from the other end of the gun.**  
  
**“That’s funny coming from a man who just put a gun to my head.”**  
  
**“We may disagree on some things, not on this, you put it down.”**  
  
I jerked awake, looking around a little confused to see that we were stopped at a truck stop. “Thanks for waking me up asshole.” I mutter opening my door and getting out to stretch.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I figured I’d try and end my chapters with a scene from the series. Now I need an opinion, when should I have Rick and Daryl meet? Should it be next chapter or should I wait a bit longer? I have a general idea of how I want it to happen but I’m not sure when it should happen.
> 
> I’d also like to know which scenes you’d like to see from the series, because I have the hardest time picking out a scene to flashback to. Not for lack of favorite scenes, but because I love them all. It can be a Rick/Daryl scene or a Dixon brothers scene, a scene between Shane and Rick, just anything so long as it focuses on our main pairing.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa, chapter 4 already? Are y'all excited about it? Or are you dreading what I've got up my sleeve for this chapter? I've been trying to decide if I wanted to add more of the characters, I've decided to do it.
> 
> Also, because it is the Dixons we're talking about, there will be some racial slurs in the coming chapters. I'll try to limit them, but again it is the Dixons and I would like to keep them as in character as possible.
> 
> I'm also sorry that this chapter took so long to get out, I've got Daryl trying to tell me to get started on what was going on with him those two months Rick was in a coma, so look out for 'The Archer' gonna be another part for a series!

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters, I merely borrow them for my own nefarious purposes.

 _Rick's thoughts._  
_**Daryl's thoughts.**_  
**Flashback to the TWD Universe**

-0-0-0-0 Rick's POV -0-0-0-0

I'm gonna finish my shift and then I'll be off for the next week, the Sheriff is talking with the chief at Atlanta PD to try and get me transferred. Reservations at a bed and breakfast in Sharpsburg a couple hours outside of Hershel's farm. Everything is starting to fall into place, I wonder if any of them had even a small part of the dream that I had while in the coma.

"Rick, heard you requested time off, what's going on?" Shane asked leaning against my tidied up desk.

"Nothing really, just trying to get my head on straight." I sigh, was hoping not to have to deal with Shane until I came back. "I thought you were on a patrol."

"I was, rookie said you had requested time off, was why he was brought in."

"I'm taking this week off, going for a stay away from everything, then I'll be transferred to Atlanta."

"Small town Sherriff's Deputy like you in the big city." He started laughing and I joined him just to humor him. I stood up after a quick glance at the clock.

"My shift is done, see you in a week." I say grabbing my jacket off the back of my chair. I left the station, stopping across the road from the building that had housed Morgan after his boy's death. A shake of my head and I made my way home, my bag was already packed and ready to go, I arrived while Lori was still out shopping and left a note by the phone leaving the number for the B&B I was going to be staying at and how long I was going to be gone.

0-0-0-0- Daryl's POV 0-0-0-0-

I pushed against the side of the truck, trying to loosen up my shoulders. Something cold touches my neck and I swing around with my fists up, seeing Merle I relax and take the bottle of water he has held out.

"So tell me who Beth is."

"Dunno what yer talkin' 'bout."

"Sounded kinda pained when you were saying her name."

"Yeah, the dream I had she died, right in front of me. Shot by some cop she stabbed."

"So these dreams? Been going on for 'round 'bout two months now right?"

"Yeah." I mumble getting back into the truck, I waited until Merle got in on the driver's side before I looked at him. "Always the same people, it started off with me tracking a deer, led me up to a quarry where we was camped out. Saw this thing that this group had beaten down, tried to get them not to waste the deer but this dumb bastard said wouldn't risk it. Avoiding some kind of infection-"

"Infection?" I glare then nod.

"Yeah, zombies if ya can believe it." I almost want to laugh, but that world felt entirely to real. "Anyway, a friend of that dumb bastard shows up and says that they chained ya to a roof." I pause.

"Chained me to a roof?"

"Yeah, said you got outta hand and you got left behind. So me, Rick, this Asian and the guy that dropped the key to the cuffs went back for ya. Only ya used a hack saw to chop off yer hand." I lifted my own hand and gave it shake.

"Sawed off my hand huh?"

"Yeah, went through the winter din't see yer ugly mug, stayed at a farm. Hershel, Beth, an' Maggie were the ones that took us in after we lost a little girl; Sophia, tracked her for five days before we found her turned into a zombie. Turns out the farmer had a barn full of'em, she was there. Day after she went missing, Rick's boy was shot, that's how we got to the farm."

"I've heard you say that name a couple times too, who is he?"

"He became the leader of the group. Kept us on the farm when most of us was down an' hurt an' Hershel was trying to git us to leave. Then kept us alive through the winter, movin' from one place to another. His wife was pregnant with the dumb bastard's baby, so we had to keep her safe. We go to a prison-"

"Which one?"

"West Georgia Corrections. Managed to clear the yard, spent the night there, next day we pushed on inside. Cleared one of the cell blocks, moved farther in to find food and medical supplies, found a bunch of inmates. Had to kill all but two or they woulda killed us. Hershel lost his leg, turned out we left one of the bastard inmates alive an' he came back to try an' kill us. Lost Rick's wife during the attack, was only a couple days later that we found you again, holed up safe in a town with a guy called hisself the Governor. You turned on him and joined us at the prison, only after I convinced ya that I considered them family."

"Tha's a long story little brother."

"Ain't over yet."

"Go back to sleep then, wake ya when it's yer turn to drive." I nodded closing my eyes and leaning against the door again.

**Beth sang in the backround, the three of us stood off to the side, Rick holding Lil Asskicker.**

**"Some reunion, huh?" I ask looking at the little girl who's become a blessing.**

**"She's in a jam." Rick says looking around at our group.**

**"We all are. Andrea's persuasive." Hershel says eyes on the baby too. "This fella's armed to the teeth, bent on destruction."**

**"So what d'you wanna do?"**

**"We match it. I'm going on a run." Rick turns towards the cell.**

**"I'll head out tomorrow."**

**"No, you stay here, keep an eye on your brother." He looks at Merle. "I'm glad you're back, really, but if he causes a problem, it's on you."**

**"I got'im."**

**"I'll take Michonne."**

**"You sure that's a good idea?"**

**"We'll find out and Carl, he's ready. You hold it down here."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um you may have noticed that I haven't added Judith, I may or may not add her only time will tell. Also please tell me if I'm letting the characters stray too far from their personalities, any feed back is welcome.
> 
> Author's Notes:  
> (1)I've only seen the tv series, only up to the end of season 4 at that, never read the comics, so I'm going to keep them in the vicinity of Atlanta/the prison yet. I may move them towards Alexandria eventually.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: If you hadn't noticed that I changed the length of travel time for the Dixon brothers, I'm sorry for any confusion, but it's been changed to three day travel. Which puts them way out in the wilds for hunting.
> 
> Disclaimer: If I owned them Rick and Daryl would have been canon back in season 2.

Chapter 5

-0-0-0-0 Rick's POV -0-0-0-0

I get checked into my room, my clothes hung in the closet or folded into the drawers. I wander out of the building towards the market, no point in eating out the whole time I'm here. I looked around once I entered a small bakery and froze, there was Maggie and Beth, they wouldn't know who I am. I started looking at the breads and pastries, keeping them in my line of sight, for all the world acting like a stalker. I shook my head and turned away from them, there's no way they would know me and I don't want to scare them.

"Hey," I turn to look a Maggie, knowing that it was her talking to me.

"Hey." I say awkwardly.

"Do I know you? You aren't local but I get the feeling I know you."

"Well, I'm Rick Grimes, a Sheriff's Deputy outta King County on vacation." I see her eyes widen.

"Sorry, it musta just been my imagination." She turned and walked back to Beth, I saw them whisper something between them then turn and leave. Maggie recognized me, if my years as an officer taught me anything it taught me how to see the signs of recognition. I ran out of the bakery following them to the red Suburban that I knew well enough.

"I don't think it was just your imagination." I start out, getting their attention.

"What do you mean?" Beth asked.

"You're gonna think I'm crazy," I shake my head not really wanting to tell this story. "Why don't I buy you girls lunch and I'll tell why I don't think it was your imagination." I gesture towards the small restuarant near by.

"Beth, Maggie you girls okay?" We all look to the young man that had spoken, Jimmy.

"Yeah Jimmy this gentleman was just offering to buy us lunch." Maggie explains, then turns back to me. "We'll take you up on that offer, if Jimmy can join us." I nod before waving a hand for them to go ahead of me. The four of us enter the small restuarant, taking a seat at a table in the back. "So get talking."

"Up until a week and a half ago I was in the hospital in a coma from a gunshot, while I was in the coma I dreamed, a world that was infested with zombies; what we called Walkers." I watched them for a sign that they didn't believe me, no such sign showed in any of them. "In this dream I woke up from my coma and had gone in search of my family, on finding our home empty I stayed with a man and his son in my little hometown where I found out what was going on with the world. At his urging I went to Atlanta, continuing my search for my family, I got there and immediately was attacked by walkers, saved by a kid named Glenn." Here I stopped and looked at Maggie, I saw her eyes mist up. "After we got away I met Andrea, T-Dog, and Merle. We left Merle chained to the roof of the department store we holed up in, got out to the quarry just outside of town where I was reunited with my wife and son, my partner Shane; Dale, Carol and Sophia. Met Daryl the next day; him, Glenn, T-Dog and I went back to Atlanta to get Merle off that roof and to pick up the bag of guns that I had dropped."

"Do you know where any of them are now?" Beth asked, we all thanked the server for our drinks, told him what we wanted to eat.

"No, Glenn was the only one who ever said where he was before the outbreak. He delivered pizzas in Atlanta, after my vacation is over I'm moving there, hopefully I'll find him and the maybe some of the others."

"Jimmy, we're supposed to be working!" A guy said from the entryway, Jimmy got up and asked the server to pack his lunch to-go.

"Sorry I couldn't stay to the rest of the story." He said waving after getting his lunch and heading out, the server brought our lunches to the table and left us to it.

"What about Daryl?" Maggie asked, sympathy showing in her eyes.

"How much have you seen?" I had to know what these two had seen, if they had seen as much as I had, maybe Daryl would know me when we met up. I hoped.

"As far as splitting up with Michonne for a rendezvous point in Macon."

"Kinda bummed that I died in that dream." I was shocked to hear Beth say that. "I knew that wasn't the end of it, Maggie kept telling me about her dreams. I'm glad you and Daryl were together, from what I remember of the dreams, he deserved someone like you." I smiled at that.

"Dad, Patricia, Otis and Jimmy all had them too." Maggie said between bites of her burger. "Least ways that's what they've said."

"The odds are looking better that I may meet up with everyone out here in the real world." I muttered more to myself than to the girls.

"Lori and Carl?"

"Lori and I divorced." I said it simply, it made no real difference to me.

"What about Lil' Asskicker?" Beth snickered.

"I'm pretty sure she was Shane's, my divorce is barely two weeks old and Shane and Lori are already together, it doesn't really surprise me from what everyone said." I shrug.

"It still sucks, why don'chu come over for dinner?" Maggie smiled.

"I'd like that, if Hershel is okay with it. As I recall he wasn't too fond of having us on the farm." I smile.

"He didn't care for that friend of yours." Maggie corrected.

"Tomorrow." I agree. "I just need to rest, was going for a few groceries before I rested."

"Okay, I'll tell dad." Beth said, laying her silverware across her plate, we had all finished eating.

"How 'bout we meet you for lunch tomorrow?" I ask, seeing their nods I smile.

"You still gotta tell us more about what happened." Maggie said.

"It's a deal." We all stand up, exiting the restaurant we part ways with hugs and smiles. I'm glad they've all had the dream, even if some of it I wished they didn't.

0-0-0-0- Daryl's POV 0-0-0-0-

It's almost midnight when we pull into Sharpsburg, me and Merle were both tired of driving, two days straight now. We'll be in Atlanta day after tomorrow, if we don't stop it'll be tomorrow night, but I ain't doin' that shit. I reach over and push at Merle's shoulder, causing him to fall against the window. He jerked up and rubbed his hand over his face. 

"Where we at?" He asked looking out at the sign by the road.

"Sharpsburg, can't drive no more." I get out and head for the office, pay for two rooms, extra for a late check out. Getting back to the truck I see Merle leaning against it smoking, he tosses the pack at me and I nod tossing the key to one of the rooms to him in exchange he catches and walks off. I lean against the truck, letting my mind run through thoughts without a direction, lifting my foot I ground out my smoke and stuff the filter into my pocket before heading to my room. I lay down and I'm out before I'm even really comfortable.

I walk out of the cell and glance down the catwalk at Rick, he looks at me and I give a small nod, watching as he pulls a knife out of his back pocket then enters the cell he had stood in front of. I bend down to reset my bow, when I straighten back up he comes out looks at me and nods, I nod back before we start searching the rest of cells.

Later I'm outside digging, mask and gloves on like I was told.

"Glad you were in there." I say after seeing Rick walk up.

"Wasn't much use without my gun." He responds, I turn to look at him.

"No, you were." I pull my mask down looking up at him. "All this time you been taking off, you earned it. We wouldn't be here without you." 

"Nah, it was all of us." He denies grabbing the other shovel.

"No, it was you first. You gonna help us figure this out?"

"I screwed up too many times. Those calls you got to make, I start down that road... I almost lost my boy-- who he was." I nod and continue digging. "Whatever else this place needs, I'm here for it."

"Like I said, you earned it. But for what it's worth, you see mistakes." I stop again and turn to look at Rick again. "I see when the shit hits, you're standing there with a shovel."

These dreams, why do I keep havin' them. Damnit! I sit up and scrub my hand across my face, looking towards the window I see it's daylight, looking at the clock it's after noon. I get up leaving my room, I bang on the door to Merle's.

"I'm going for food!" I shout through the door, all I hear it snoring, growling I head towards a restuarant a stone's throw away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Again I'm not so great with writing out actions but that scene from season four's Infected is a favorite, actions speak louder than words type of thing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I kinda surprised with how fast I'm putting these chapters out. In the history of my writing fics, I haven't ever put out chapters this fast. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter, remember Daryl and Rick are coming together in this one.
> 
> Disclaimer: I really wish I owned them. Rickyl would have so been canon back in season two.
> 
> _Rick's thoughts._  
>  ** _Daryl's thoughts._**  
>  **Flashback to the TWD Universe**

Chapter 7

-0-0-0-0 Rick's POV -0-0-0-0

I wake up around ten thirty, brush my teeth and hair, eat a bowl of instant oatmeal; into some sweats and a t-shirt for a quick jog around town. I start off in the parking lot of the hotel, down the main street of town, waving at a few of the locals that waved at me I stop at the drug store for a bottle of water and start my return run. Slowing down back up into the parking lot, I stop in front of the office to stretch out my legs, a quick glance around the lot has me nearly falling over. The blue and white pickup in the corner is familiar, I brush it off. Gotta be hundreds of pickups just like it out there. I re-enter my room to shower and dress, it's almost noon when a knock sounds on my door, I look through the peephole and smile seeing Beth.

"You're early." I say, grabbing a jacket, I won't need it.

"No I'm not it's lunch time." She smiles up at me, I hold my arm out and she loops her's through mine, we walk towards where I see Maggie waving across the street. Once we enter the restaurant we once again choose the table at the back of the dining room, I sit with my back to the door, the girls across from me. "You were telling us what happened before you came to the farm." Beth urged after we had given our orders to the server.

"Okay, we got back to the department store to find out that Merle had sawed his hand off, made his way through to the office buildings conjoined with the department store and out into the city. From there we went for the bag of guns, got hit by a gang that had set up in an old folks home, they took Glenn; we resolved it quickly. When we were getting ready to head back to the quarry, only to find out that Merle had taken the cube van that we had gotten back into Atlanta with, so we had to walk back to camp. It was attacked by walkers, we got there in time to stop everything going to far south, lost Andrea's sister Amy that night. The following day we set off for the CDC, where we met Jenner and found out that we were all infected. The CDC was destroyed the next day, we went on to find out that the gang that had nabbed Glenn were all killed, the elderly too; following a night spent in the home we were trying to reach Ft. Benning. Came up on a traffic snarl, we were searching for supplies: food, medicine, and the like as well as siphoning fuel when a herd of walkers came on us. We hid underneath the vehicles, the herd passed, Carol's daughter Sophia came out from under the truck she hid under too soon. She ran into the woods with two walkers after her and I immediately followed, I hid her in a space between some roots by a stream, told her to stay put and if I wasn't back that she was to go back to the highway keeping the sun on her left shoulder. After I had taken care of the two walkers that had followed her out I went back for her, when I didn't see her where I had left her I just assumed she had gone back to the highway."

"Shouldn't you have looked instead of assuming?" Maggie asked, I nodded as the server put our food in front of us.

"In that world I had wished that I did look for her instead of assuming. I got back to the others to find out that she hadn't gotten back yet; Daryl, Shane, Glenn and I went back to where I had hidden her, after tracking her for a bit Shane and Glenn went back to the highway while Daryl and I continued to track her." I thought in silence for a few minutes, the girls just letting me. I wonder where he is now. I shake my head. "We came up on a walker that had fed recently, put it down, then gutted it. We headed back as it was getting darker, rested for the night, Daryl and Andrea had gone out that night to try and find her; they came back before too long. The next day T-Dog and Dale were the only ones to stay back, the rest of us headed off to look for Sophia, came up on a church that we thought she may have hidden in disappointed once again that she was nowhere to be seen. Separated from there; Shane, Carl and me continued the search on one side of the stream while Daryl led Lori, Andrea and Carol back towards the RV, they headed back and I went back into the church to pray believe it or not. Barely twenty minutes later we saw a buck not ten feet from us, Shane had lifted his gun to shoot it, I said not to, the look on Carl's face was worth letting what food we could have had." I smiled thinking about how peaceful the scene was.

"That was when Otis shot him." Maggie stated, I nodded.

"From there you guys know the rest, I picked Carl up and carried him to your farm, Otis and Shane not far behind. You were sent for Lori and like I said you know the rest." I laid my silverware down across my plate.

"What about when the Governor attacked the prison? What happened to you then?" Beth asked, done with her food too.

"Carl and I headed towards a housing block, I guess I had slept pretty hard for a day, Michonne joined us the day after. The two of them had gone off for supplies, I had stayed at the house we secured to rest some more, a group came across the house. They would have killed us, I killed one of theirs, Michonne, Carl and I began our trek to Terminus. A couple days later, we were camped out by a broken down SUV, the group that had come across at the house caught up with us. That's when we met up with Daryl again, he was with that group, they were planning on raping Carl and Michonne, then killing all three of us. We managed to beat them, well I say beat them when I mean we came out on top. What about the two of you?"

"Glenn and I had gotten separated from each other, I had gotten off the bus to find Beth, he had apparently followed me and I hadn't noticed. Bob, Sasha and I stayed together, started looking for Glenn; we came across the bus and we had to make sure that he wasn't on it, after seeing he wasn't we started for Terminus ourselves. We met up with Abraham, Eugene and Rosita and found out that until an hour or so before they had been traveling with Glenn and Tara. Wasn't too long after that Glenn and me were back together, we went to Terminus, the eight us, together." Maggie told her part of the story, then looked to her sister.

"Daryl and I had gotten away together, camped out a night, the next day we hit a country club. I wanted an alcohol drink, we raided the bar at the club, only thing we found was peach schnapps; Daryl wasn't gonna let that be my first drink, we went for this trailer with a shed." I started laughing, most times, not all the time but most time trailers and sheds meant moonshine. "What?" Beth sounded a little defensive.

"Moonshine? Really?" I continued laughing it wasn't too long before both girls started laughing too.

0-0-0-0- Daryl's POV 0-0-0-0-

I had walked into the restaurant and froze, there at the back table of the room were two faces and a voice I recognized. I made my way back to them, trying not to draw attention to myself.

"Moonshine? Really?" The laugh was what I remember from those dreams, the few times I'd heard it; the CDC drunk off our asses, once on the Greene farm, once in the prison. It was contagious as the girls started laughing too.

"Yeah asshole moonshine, I wasn't 'bout to let this girl drink no schnapps." I notice that the three of them stop, the girls staring at me wide-eyed, the guy spins around fast; I almost fear whiplash. His eyes are wide too, we stare at each other, all four of us too stunned to really say anything else.

"Daryl?" Rick stands up, I had forgotten how blue his eyes were, I step back.

"Yeah, don't get any ideas, not like I'm expectin' a reunion or nothin'. Hell we don't even know each other, not really." I try to look away from that intense stare.

"We don't know what you were like before the outbreak but we know how you can be Daryl." Beth stands up, comes around the table with her arms open, I don't even fight it as I reach out to hug her; holding her tight, no doubt hurting her, she isn't complaining though she's holding me just as tightly.

"The outbreak didn't even happen, probably won't ever." I mutter into her hair.

"You're right, but somehow or another we all had those dreams. The last time I saw you I was planning to kill the woman that was trying to keep Noah locked up, I stabbed her and she shot me; that was when I stopped having those dreams." She explained, her face still buried against my chest.

"Come sit, eat something, tell us you're story." Rick said motioning the seat next to him, I nod and sit, the server comes over and I order my food. "Same check," Rick says to the server who nods. "What happened when you got separated from Beth up until you joined my group?" He asked, his chair angled towards me, the girls leaning forward on the table.

"I remember saying when we all joined up at Gabriel's church." I say folding my arms over my chest.

"Well I don't know what happened." Beth said, crossing her own arms.

"I followed the road that you were taken down until I came to the train tracks, I collapsed and stayed there until Joe; the group that had come across Rick, Carl and Michonne, found me. I stayed with them for a couple of days, said they was tracking a guy that killed one of their own, plain and simple. When I saw that it was the three of them, I helped out to take Joe and his out. End of story." I wolfed down the burger and fries that had been set down in front of me.

"So what's going on now?" Maggie asked, looking between the two of us.

"I don't know." Rick said, looking around, anywhere but at me. It kinda hurt, knowing that in that other world, we were happy. I guess it shouldn't surprise me, in this life he has his wife and Carl to think of.

"You out this way by yourself?" Beth asked tilting her head to one side, making me smile.

"Nah." I don't say anything else.

"Well, well if it isn't Officer Friendly." I see Rick turn again towards the front of the restaurant. "How you been boy?! Don't worry, ain't nothing goin' through my system now." I see Rick relax, then turn to watch my brother grab a chair and sit between Beth and Rick at the end of the table.

"Staying clean Merle?" Rick asks, scooting his chair over, close enough to touch me. I feel his heat, thankful for that small comfort, he leans back and watches Merle.

"Hell we've been up in the hills, ain't no drugs when ye're huntin'." He says leaning back into his own chair.

"Catch anything? Squirrel? Been a while since I've had any squirrel stew." Rick smiled, Merle smiled.

"We left on good terms in that dream world." Merle said looking to me and the girls. "From what I remember Rick here was family."

"Yeah." I mutter.

"So." Beth didn't say anything beyond that.

"Yeah." Merle nods, then waves the server over, orders something to go. "We'll be in town til day after tomorrow." His order arrives five minutes later and we both head out after saying our goodbyes. Once we're outside I turn to look at him. 

"Till the day after tomorrow?" I ask, not really believing him.

"Yeah, from what I can tell about what you've told me about those dreams, Officer Friendly there was good for you. Maybe even in this world he will be."

"He's got a wife and kid you ass!" I shout, than lower my voice. "It isn't like he'll leave them for me."

"Well far as I remember she was with his friend while they thought he was dead, maybe that relationship started even before the apocalypse." He leaves me standing outside my room, thinking about his words.

"Well shit." I say to myself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, so there you go, Rick and Daryl have finally met up in the waking world. Rick and Merle are getting along okay, what will happen now? Any suggestions on which way I should take this? I still have to get Rick to the Greene farm to meet with Hershel, then to Atlanta to meet up with Glenn as well as start his job as a big city cop. Lori and Shane with Lil' Asskicker? Or maybe not.
> 
> Please give me a direction ladies, gentlemen and everyone between.


End file.
